1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and, more particularly, to a mobile terminal having an image pick-up apparatus capable of protracting and retracting a lens from and into a housing to thereby protect the lens from an external contaminant or an impact.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a related mobile terminal having an image pick-up apparatus. As shown, the mobile terminal 1 comprises a main body 10 having a main printed circuit board (PCB) and an information input unit 11, a folder 20 having a display unit 21, a hinge unit 30 for rotating the folder 20 about the main body 10, and an image pick-up apparatus 40 installed at a side of the hinge unit 30.
The main body 10 and the folder 20 are electrically connected by a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB). The main body 10 and the image pick-up apparatus 40 can also be electrically connected to each other.
The hinge unit 30 comprises a first hinge part 31 formed integrally with the main body 10, a second hinge part 33 formed integrally with the main body 10 and spaced apart from the first hinge part 31, a third hinge part 35 formed integrally with the folder 20 and coaxially mounted between the first and second hinge parts 31 and 33, and a hinge pin (not shown) inserted through the first, second and third hinge parts 31, 33 and 35, respectively.
The hinge unit 30 allows the folder 20 to be pivoted about the main body 10 centering on a rotation axis (a-a).
The image pick-up apparatus 40 installed at a side of the hinge unit 30 comprises a camera module including a lens 41 and a camera housing 43 with the camera module housed therein. A lens hole 45 is formed at a side of the camera housing 43. The lens 41 is exposed through the lens hole 45. The camera housing 43 and the camera module installed therein are integrally moved together.
A connection unit (not shown) connected with the main PCB inside the main body 10 is provided at a side of the camera module. The connection unit is installed to penetrate the first hinge part 31 and connects to the main PCB through a FPCB. Namely, one end of the FPCB is connected to the main PCB and the other end of the FPCB is windingly connected to the connection unit of the camera module.
A knob 47 is formed at an outer side end of the camera module 40 in order to control an angle of the lens 41 for photographing.
The method for operating the mobile terminal having the image pick-up apparatus constructed as described above, especially, the method for operating the image pick-up apparatus is as follows.
When a user wants to photograph an object using the image pick-up apparatus 40, the user manipulates the knob 47 to rotate the camera housing 43 in a direction that the object is positioned in. The user then takes a photograph while viewing an image of the object on the display unit.
However, the related art mobile terminal having the image pick-up apparatus has the following problems.
First, because the lens of the related art image pick-up apparatus installed at a side of the hinge unit is exposed at all times, the lens can be contaminated by dust or other types of contaminants. Thus, the quality of a photographed image may be degraded.
Additionally, the lens is susceptible to permanent damage because the exposed lens can be easily struck by an external impact.
Moreover, the viewable area of the image pickup apparatus is limited due to a dead zone, an area within the rotation angle of the image pickup apparatus obstructed by parts of the mobile terminal such as the main body or the folder. Thus, as the image pickup apparatus is rotated to search an object, its view of the object is blocked if the object falls within the dead zone. Alternatively, the rotation angle of the apparatus may unnecessarily be limited in order to avoid the dead zone. Therefore, the design of the apparatus is restricted according to the installation of the camera module.